Harry Potter and the Ring of Trust
by Luminus
Summary: Harry is now looking forward to being a 5th year. George and Fred have been busy this summer creating loads of laughs. Harry is excited about spending time at the Weasley's. His scar hurts and he has terrible nightmares.


Chapter One Unlike most boys, summer was definitely not what Harry looked forward to every year, but then, you have to take into consideration that Harry Potter was no ordinary boy. He was, in fact, a wizard. Since his parents murder, Harry had been living with his insufferable muggle relatives-Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and their son, Dudley.  
  
Life with the Dursley's was gradually improving for Harry due to their fear of Harry's godfather, Sirius Black. Still Harry always found himself counting the days until he could return to Hogwarts. Lately, Harry began to notice strange occurrences. Like the tip of a wizard drop below the window sill just as Harry was turning toward it, or the time a man was walking down the street and a strong wind blew open the man's coat to reveal an extremely long beard, and Harry still swears he saw a cat that looked just like the tabby Professor McGonagall becomes. Harry vaguely suspected that all these were witches and wizards who had been assigned to keep a careful eye on Harry because of Harry's last encounter with Voldemort. But Harry was able to push all this aside when he got an owl from Ron asking if Harry could spend the last three weeks of summer with him and his family. Harry's Aunt and Uncle were quick to agree to anything that would keep Harry and his godfather far away. Harry still had a week until he would be going to stay with Ron, but with that to look forward to Harry didn't see how anything could go wrong.  
  
Harry spent most of his time in his bedroom finishing up his homework so he could have as much fun at Ron's as he possibly could. Occasionally Harry's thoughts would drift to other things-Quidditch, the house cup, and Cho Chang (Harry's long-time crush). Although having the Dursleys ignore him was preferable to having them insult him, Harry could not help but feel incredibly lonely. Harry was very glad he had Hedwig to keep him company and to keep him in touch with Ron, Hermoine, Hagrid, and Sirius Black. Occasionally the Weasley twins would send him an owl showing what new products they were coming up with. Harry supposed they gave him such an exclusive sneak peek because they felt indebted to him for giving them his Triwizarding winnings. In any case, Harry thoroughly enjoyed the letters from George and Fred. Sometimes those letters would keep him laughing for days at a time. Once Fred and George sent him some samples. Harry had to use all his will power not to try any out on his cousin, Dudley. On one occasion, however, when Harry was out of the room, one of Dudley's friends snuck in and stole a box of candy labeled "Color Changing Delights." Harry figures the guy must have eaten a blue and a red before he realized what was happening because oddly enough his exposed skin was blue with big red polka dots. Harry made a mental note to ask Fred and George why the colors didn't just mix and turn him purple. But first Harry had to answer to Uncle Vernon, who was screaming for Harry to get downstairs.  
  
"WHAT-DID-YOU-DO-TO-THOMAS?!" Bellowed Uncle Vernon, "FIX-HIM-NOW!"  
  
It took Harry a moment to realize that Thomas was the kid who had changed colors and another moment to realize he had no idea how to fix him. Besides, even if he did, the ministry of magic really didn't allow him to since he was still an under-age wizard. In any case, Thomas didn't seem too bothered himself. He was still shaking a little, but he was looking into a mirror and smiling.  
  
"Er, I don't know how," said Harry, "but wait; maybe it's on the box somewhere."  
  
Dudley had been standing there holding the box looking as if he desperately wanted to know how they tasted, but was too scared to actually try them. Before he could make up his mind, his father snatched them away.  
  
"Color Changing Delights," He read, "Ingredients...warnings...aha!...showing your true color! Wait a second," Uncle Vernon glared angrily at Harry," this better not be some sort of trick, or I'll..."  
  
Harry came over to see what Uncle Vernon was trying to decipher. It appeared to be some sort of riddle.  
  
If you're blue in the face;  
  
Or if those green stripes won't erase;  
  
Have no fear, there is a cure;  
  
Your spots will go away, be sure;  
  
So if your belly is yellow, go like those;  
  
who were once completely brown nosed;  
  
Your true color you will become again;  
  
when in reverse order you take them in.  
  
  
  
After a few seconds, Harry said,"Er-Thomas, which color did you eat first?"  
  
"Blue, and then red," replied Thomas looking a little confused.  
  
"Well, the riddle says if you eat red first and then blue, you'll change back," Harry explained. "Now that the problem's solved I'll be going."  
  
Uncle Vernon grabbed Harry by the shirt, "How do we know you aren't lying? You do it first."  
  
Harry popped an orange candy into his mouth and he instantly had orange hair and fingers and ears. Next he placed a purple in his mouth and Harry looked as if someone had tie-dyed him in various shades of purple (he still had orange hair and fingers and ears). To prove his point, Harry ate a purple and then an orange and became normal once more.  
  
Uncle Vernon did not release his grasp until after Thomas was normal as well. Then he made Harry explain to Thomas that these candies contained no sort of magic really, but just special food coloring that gets into your bloodstream. Thomas seemed convinced.  
  
Harry now had just one day and two nights before he would be joining the Weasley's for the remainder of the summer. Harry sent Fred and George an owl about how well the Color Changing Delights worked. Since Harry had completed his homework, he decided to retire to bed early. Just before getting into his bed, he noticed a slight throbbing from his scar, but Harry chose to ignore it. Then the dreams began.  
  
*Flash of green light* Harry was running through the forest. "No, not Harry!" His mother's voice. Harry tried to look behind him, but his head just wouldn't seem to turn. "Run! I'll hold him off. Go!" His father. Harry glanced out of the corner of his eye to see a white stag, but suddenly it vanished. Then Harry heard the awful, familiar, unmistakable laugh of Lord Voldemort.  
  
*Flash of green light* Harry looked into the mirror and saw his family, the Potter Family. He waved at them and they waved back. Suddenly he heard a noise from the other side of the room. Harry turned to see Professor Snape with a hideous, evil grin on his face. Snape through back his head and let out a cold cackle, identical to the laugh of Voldemort. As he was laughing, Snape was also changing. Changing into Voldemort.  
  
*Flash of green light* Harry felt the rotted hands of a Dementor close around his neck. This seemed to cause an unbearable pain in his head. Then the voices again. Harry tried to squirm away, but he couldn't. Out of nowhere, Scabber ran up and bit Harry's finger.  
  
Quite suddenly, Harry was back in his room, shaking and covered with sweat. Harry looked down and noticed Hedwig gently nibbling his finger. Hedwig had a letter tied to his left leg. Harry's head continued to throb. Harry whispered his thanks to Hedwig and removed the note. He then read the small note.  
  
Harry,,  
  
Do say you took pictures of your horrible cousin's little friend. We would have paid loads of galleons to see the look of terror/anger on the face of your uncle. Do you think we should make finding your true color more difficult? Well it's late and we have to clean up the debris from our latest antic. See you in a couple of days.  
  
As our sweaters imply,  
  
Gred and Forge  
  
Harry laughed. He wondered what their "latest antic" had been. He looked at the clock, it was almost dawn. Harry got dressed and ready. His last day at home was relatively normal. Harry was able to pack all of his things in his trunk. He continued to have a light throb from his scar, but he decided not to tell anyone. He didn't want to worry anyone for nothing or to have someone decide he couldn't stay with the Weasleys.  
  
He dreaded the coming night, fearing the dreams might reappear. Before going to bed, Harry wrote a note to Sirius telling him that he would be at the Weasley's. Harry forced himself to think about how great tomorrow would be so as not to dream. Harry fell into a heavy, dreamless sleep. 


End file.
